With Gratitude for our Path

If any of your recent thoughts have been of mistakes, failures, disappointments, loss of relationships, financial pressures, etc., maybe today’s the day to find gratitude for the path you’re really on, because those thoughts relate to superficial happenings.

Instead, delve a little deeper, then deeper, then even deeper. Perhaps you can go way back to a teacher who believed in you, someone who took you under his/her wing and gave you a nugget for life. This may have actually changed your course or created an opportunity to accept yourself. Or maybe you can think of a time when you skinned your knee, literally or figuratively, and now realize the strength it took to get back up and get going. Even if people laughed as you took that fall, think about how it impacted your life in a positive way. Another thought might be of something you did that was not something of integrity, maybe you even “sold your soul” for a moment. Remember that that experience possibly gave you the opportunity to rethink your ways – remember, too, when temptations in life turn into attachments, you can always “un-attach” yourself.

Recently, I read that all paths bring awareness. So, the lesson of each path is what gives it its value. That’s why it’s so important to remember that when we take away the experience from someone, we also take away the lesson. It’s easy to fall into judgment of those whom we feel have stepped off the path of integrity or honesty or human decency onto a path we consider to be immoral or self-destructive. However, every single moment of our life here on earth is giving us an opportunity to learn, to make another choice, to rethink, or to redeem ourselves. It is all Sacred.

Therefore, for anyone falling into judgment of another, remember that you may not fully know or understand that person’s path – the amazing inner path that God has consecrated. Perhaps they are on this earth for us to learn not to judge or to find compassion. Sometimes the most difficult earthly paths are the hardest ones to withstand but teach others the most compassion. Often the toughest or even meanest people in your life are the ones who were the catalysts to build you up in the final outcome. Or, the ones who were most critical were the ones who made you withdraw inside where you found your real value.

As they say, there are no accidents, so it’s important to recognize that everyone who crosses our path on this earthly mission is a messenger – one who is teaching us to lead with our soul, even if they may appear to be someone of darkness.

By taking the time to delve deeper into our life, we can find that everything offers a nugget, a gift of grace. Our life is never limited nor limiting – the possibilities are endless. If today, you are confused, find at least one thing that makes your eyes sparkle, that makes your heart sing. If today, you are disappointed in yourself, know that that is only a tiny speck in the whole spectrum of your life. Be humbled by God’s Goodness and by His Forgiveness. As I’ve mentioned previously, we are the only ones who often cannot forgive ourselves, who cannot love ourselves.

Be blessed in the knowing that we all go through dark times, difficult times, disappointing times and what we might consider unforgiveable times; but, these are only our earthly judgments. When we dig deeper to the soul level, there is no ugliness; instead, there is pure beauty, love, acceptance and Light.